Parliament Early Day Motions

That this House congratulates The Dairy Council in staging the 2016 Annual Ceremony of the Christmas Cheeses, which forms the beginning of the Chelsea Pensioners’ traditional Christmas celebrations; further congratulates in-pensioner, Mary Johnston, wh…

That this House congratulates Betsy Crosby on winning a Medallion of Excellence at EuroSkills Gothenburg 2016; and further congratulates Ms Crosby on being the only female to compete in her category of Mechanical Engineering Design CAD, on being a fant…

That this House recognises the huge importance of rail freight in reducing carbon emissions and costs associated with road congestion; is therefore concerned at the announcement by the UK’s largest rail freight company, DB Cargo, that it is to cut 900 rail jobs throughout the UK which will be a 30 per cent reduction in a skilled railway workforce, therefore further threatening the future of UK rail freight; notes that the cuts are in part being blamed on a decline in coal and steel freight, but is concerned that this decision is being driven by the business interests of the German state railway which owns DB Cargo; is further concerned that the most recent company return for DB Cargo (UK) Ltd states that in the previous year the company disposed of its interest in 90 railway properties to third parties raising Â£156 million which will ultimately be used as a source of revenue for German state railways; believes that instead of allowing the asset stripping of the UK’s freight industry the Government should be urgently intervening to stop these job losses; and calls on the Government as a matter of urgency to begin to develop a long-term strategy for freight as part of a sustainable industrial strategy, including expanding rail freight infrastructure and capacity, giving greater priority to freight in railway strategy and developing publicly owned rail freight.

That this House congratulates St Andrews Roman Catholic Church on the 50th anniversary of its opening; recognises the key and vital role that the Church has played in Livingston and the wider West Lothian area in bringing the community together over ma…

That this House congratulates Hibernian Football Club on opening its doors on Christmas Day for those less fortunate; notes that the club has signalled its intent to provide a welcome home for those among the 4,000 homeless people in Edinburgh and the …

That this House congratulates the Committee of Advertising Practice for banning advertising for food and drink which is high in fat, salt or sugar from all non-broadcast outlets which target those aged under-16; notes that the ban will come into effect…

That this House notes with concern the publication of UNISON’s annual Violence at Work Survey 2016, which shows that over 40,000 violent assaults against public service workers in Scotland were recorded over the last year; further notes that for employ…

That this House congratulates Clackmannanshire Women’s Aid, which is celebrating 40 years of helping thousands of women and children who have suffered domestic abuse throughout Clackmannanshire; notes that over this 40 year period it has continued to t…

That this House notes that approximately 5,000 infants and children pass away each year in the UK; further notes that the cost of children’s funerals imposes a significant and unexpected financial burden on bereaved parents; recognises that some local authorities, as well as religious officiants and undertakers, currently waive all or a proportion of the fees associated with children’s funerals; further recognises that many individuals, community groups and schools undertake fundraising to cover such funeral costs; acknowledges that the total annual cost of fees associated with children’s funerals is Â£10 million; and calls on the Government to establish a specific fund, from which local authorities can draw, to pay the costs associated with children’s funerals.

That this House notes the result of the presidential election in the Gambia, held on 1 December 2016, which Adama Barrow won; welcomes the remarks made by outgoing President Yahya Jammeh which acknowledge his defeat and commit to a peaceful transfer of…